IMEC Industrial Affiliation Program (IIAP) as IPR model to set up nanotechnology research and patenting Original Research Article

The IP policy of IMEC is to avoid IP blocking among its research and business partners, to secure IPR for partners and to enable publications for researchers. This is achieved by setting up a specially designed Industrial Affiliation Program (referred to as IIAP) with licensing and/or co-ownership of IP between the partners. The business IP model applied within the IIAP model at IMEC is characterised by an open, multi-party approach with non-exclusive licensing as a base-line. The IIAP model is further characterized as an IP model in which dilution of IP is minimized in view of further transferability of technology. Using the cost-based and risk sharing approach of the IIAP program, an enhanced progress within new technology domains such as nanotechnology is obtained.